Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4.2 LCC in New Infrastructure Development Projects
Despite the high connection rates in Germany and Europe, new developments are
relevant. Principally, two different cases can be differentiated: (1) Accession of new
settlement areas (extension areas of settlements); (2) Accession of insuf
ciently
connected settlement areas, which predominantly occur in rural areas (see Fig.
8
).
In case of extending settlements, the connection is generally conducted consid-
ering technical boundary conditions of the present system in existing settlements
neighbouring the new development. Wastewater treatment plants and drinking water
supply facilities are mostly amply dimensioned; therefore, the existing alignment of
the system is generally retained. Prevailing technical and hydraulic conditions (e.g.
combined or separate rainwater and sanitary sewage system) are pivotal for the
outline of the new drainage system while life-cycle costs only play a minor role.
In case of new developments of settlement structures or settlement areas, which
so far had been insuf
ciently connected, the technical degree of freedom is much
higher due to the missing or qualitatively inadequate connection. Because of the low
density of such settlement areas, diverse development options of the water systems
are conceivable (e.g. centralized/decentralized, full or gradual construction). When
faced with such decisions, sensible alternatives are commonly compared based on
LCC. In Germany, such a decision-making process is explicitly requested in the
guidelines for dynamic comparative cost methods mentioned above. These guide-
lines are edited by the German Working Group on Water Issues of the Federal States
and the Federal Government represented by the Federal Environment Ministry
(LAWA). In these guidelines, recommendations are given for the comparison of
alternative system solutions using dynamic comparative cost methods, considering
all relevant types of costs such as investment costs (construction and development
costs, maintenance costs) and running costs (costs for personnel, energy, tangible
Fig. 8 Rural villages: Focus
of new infrastructure
development.
Source
SMUL
(
2004
),
photo
by Aerobild
(2000)
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